A Second Chance
by Nock and Bolt
Summary: WARNING: Set after Allegiant! Years after the epilouge of Allegiant, the world has dissolved into chaos. By going back in time, Caleb intends to change things for the better and prevent all the tragedy and death he can. Note: This was made mainly because I think Caleb deserves a second chance. Rating may change. (BTW, this is my first fanfic, so some characters might be OOC)
1. Introduction

**A/N: As mentioned in the summary, this is my first fanfic, so don't be too harsh on my lack of writing ability. I do like constructive critisism, just not complaints with no direction on how to make it better. This fic is mainly for people who, like me, think Caleb deserves a second chance. So, if you don't like Caleb, don't read it. Or maybe you could give it a try, see if you like this Caleb better. Whatever. Updates aren't really set in stone, though I will try to update as soon as I can. Anyways, on to the story!**

Caleb's POV

I have done it. Finally, after years of research and endless experiments, I have it: a way to change everything. To make it right. To go back in time and stop all the tragedy and heartbreak and death. There is no telling what will happen, or if I will even succeed, but it will be worth it. The world has changed since we settled 'the fourth city', Chicago. Inevitably, it seems, a war was waged, GPs against GDs. Chicago was a safe haven, taking on all the refugees we could that wanted to escape the prejudice. Though there were thousands more GDs than GPs, the side of the GPs released an airborne version of the attack simulation serum that targeted all the GDs. It forced us all to go to a certain place in each country. They then deployed the death serum in that area, effectively killing off almost all the GDs.

Luckily, Tobias prevented me from going. Being knocked unconscious and bound to a pole was a small price to pay for my life. I am forever grateful to him, and I intend to make it up to him when I go back in time. The GDs in Chicago were the luckiest-with GPs that actually cared about us, less of us marched to our doom than any other city. But that is beside the point. More than half the world's population is dead, and a tyrant GP has taken over everything.

I have been hiding in the Bureau's lab, trying to find a way to fix all this. And now I have. I've told Tobias what I plan to do, and he's been teaching me some things like how to shoot, do hand-to-hand combat, and handle a knife. I can tell he doesn't enjoy the reminders of his violent past, but he understands why I need it. After all, if I'm going to join Dauntless the second time around, I will need to pass initiation.

It is during one of these sessions that I now find myself being watched by Cara, Matthew, and Zeke. It's my final 'test', so to speak, to see if I'll really be able to pass for a Dauntless.

"Remember," calls Tobias as he swings an uppercut at me, "you don't want to give away everything you know." I duck, and throw a left jab. Dancing out of reach, he continues talking.

"To everyone else you'll be a Stiff. No one knows you're an Erudite." He comes at me with a roundhouse, and I catch his leg between my arms and twist it, so he falls on the ground.

"You have to convince them you're just an initiate from Abnegation who's desperately trying to make it into Dauntless." He swings his other leg under me so that now we're both on the ground.

"Because you aren't Dauntless," he says, jumping on top of me and pinning me down, "you're gonna have to use that Erudite brain of yours to analyze how the Dauntless act and replicate it. Kind of how you did with the Abnegation for so long." I knee him in the stomach, and he grunts, his hold on me momentarily lessened. I arch my back and twist out of his grasp. I roll away from him, out of his reach, and we both stand up again.

"Just make sure no else realizes what you are doing," he says. I throw a right hook, and he blocks it. Sending a punch right into my unprotected side, he says, "Now whether you tell anyone you're from the future is up to you." He stomps on my foot and shoves his shoulder into me, knocking me down. Again.

"But be aware the fate of the world rests on you and you alone," and with that he drops down onto me with his elbow, knocking the wind out of me. Wheezing, I huff out a laugh, "So no pressure, right?" He smirks.

"Right," he says. Then he holds out a hand to me, and I take it, grateful for the help.

"Oh, and one other thing," he says. Suddenly he takes my arm and flips me over his shoulder. I land with a grunt and that now-becoming-familiar whoosh of air as my lungs are emptied. Zeke howls with laughter as Tobias continues talking like nothing happened.

"Beware of everyone. Trust no one-not even me." From my prone position on the floor, I glare at him. He offers his hand out to me again, but this time I just ignore it and get up on my own. Smiling, he remarks, "Good. You're learning." Tobias turns around to our audience, gestures to me and asks, "So what do you think? Could he pull it off?" Cara steps forward.

"Well, he did get beat by you pretty badly. Then again...you're Tobias. At any rate, his fighting technique seems a bit too...I don't know, planned. Like it's not completely instinctual yet." Zeke snorts, saying, "We'll what do you expect? He's an Erudite." Out of the corner of my eye, I see Tobias glower at Zeke.

"Don't you realize that that's exactly what we're trying to erase! There is no way he'll survive Dauntless acting like an Erudite." _Thanks for that optimistic outlook, Tobias_, I think.

Ignoring Zeke's eye roll, Tobias turns to Matthew and raises an eyebrow. Matthew clears his throat, "Oh, um. Well, I've never been in a faction before, but it seemed fine to me." At Tobias' glare, he says defensively, "Well he isn't even supposed to be Dauntless yet! When he gets there, he will be an initiate. So wouldn't it be _worse_ if he already knew everything?" Tobias seemed to consider this.

"Alright," Tobias decides, "I just didn't want to leave anything to chance."

"Well," Zeke interjects, "it isn't as if we have a whole lot of time in the first place. GPs are going to march on Chicago any day now. If he's going to leave, it has to be now. Regardless of whether he's _ready_ or not." As if to punctuate his statement, the loud boom of an explosion echoes overhead. Bits of plaster rain down on us, and our eyes all widen.

"It's happening," Cara breathes. "We're out of time." Tobias turns to me and yells, "Run to the lab and GO!" I'm already scrambling for the door. Just as I'm about to bolt out of the room, Tobias shouts "Wait!" I turn back around to see Tobias staring at me, and with a final salute, he says, "Be brave." With that, we both turn around, and I'm sprinting along the halls. My breathing falls into a steady rhythm as I try to focus only on the task at hand. My feet know exactly where to go-I have gone this path many times before. But this time is different. It will be the last time I ever do so. With a jolt, I realize that that was the last time I will ever see Tobias-THIS Tobias. Everyone I know will cease to exist, and the thought frightens me.

No, I think. I can't let fear distract me. I burst through the lab doors, and I start a silent mantra in time with my rapid heartbeat. Be brave. Be brave. Be brave. Twisting knobs, pulling levers. Be brave. Be brave. Be brave. Typing in the date-Choosing Day. Be brave. Be brave. Be brave. I whisper, "I will not be a coward. Not this time." With that final thought, I slam my palm down on the activation button, and the world dissolves into a flash of color.

**A/N: You know, I really like reviews. A lot. Even if you just type one sentence. Please?**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi! A quick shout out to Ia Iz and FallenMinds-my first reviewers! Thanks again, guys. I do appreciate constructive critisism, or any comments or predictions you might have. Here is the second chapter! Oh, and bear with me, as I have to go back to school tomorrow, so updates won't be this quick for a while. So, I have given you guys a longer chapter! Yay!**

_Caleb's POV_

The swirling colors come to a halt, and with a bright flash that no one else seems to notice, I am back at the Hub, where Choosing Ceremony is taking place. Seeing my father, my mother and Tris, I almost want to break down crying and embrace them where they stand. But no, I can't. Instead I reach out to Tris-wait, it's Beatrice now-and clutch her hand for all I'm worth. I am terrified that if I don't hold on to something, my very being will slowly unravel. She looks so small now, with only a hint of the strong, independent woman I know she will be. I breathe out a slow, shaky breath, willing myself to focus on only what is happening, and nothing else.

Marcus is at the podium between Erudite and Dauntless—something I can only register as symbolism of what I will change. He clears his throat into the microphone. He welcomes us, and explains a bit about why we are here-as if we didn't already know. Beatrice squeezes my fingers. Hard. I guess we're both pretty nervous. As I listen to Marcus' speech, it amazes me how much it sounds like the issue with GDs, yet how could anyone here possibly know about that? They do not know that this is only an experiment.

"...divided into factions that sought to eradicate those qualities they believed responsible for the world's disarray," Marcus says. Well, he's not wrong...the factions _were_ created to get rid of certain qualities...they just don't know it was genes the founders were trying to fix. He goes on to list the factions and their reasons for forming.

"Those who blamed aggression formed Amity. Those who blamed ignorance became the Erudite." My old faction. A twinge of sadness strikes through me. It was a shame, how Jeanie Matthews corrupted the faction. I will not be joining them this time around.

"Those who blamed duplicity created Candor. Those who blamed selfishness made Abnegation. And those who blamed cowardice were the Dauntless." I will not be a coward. I will not be a traitor. I will not fail my family again. The factions mean nothing-I have to save the people I love. I must gain redemption. This time, I will make it right. This time, I will not let _anyone_ take my family from me. However, I can't help but feel nervous. It feels like I am betraying my faction.

I am broken from my musings by a round of applause. Macus has finished his speech, and they have started Choosing. One by one, each sixteen year old goes to the center of the room. One by one, they choose a faction. James Tucker is the first faction transfer. I grow nervous-my name is about to be called. I am next. Marcus will call my name any time no- "Caleb Prior."

I steel myself for my decision. Squeezing Beatrice's hand one last time, I walk to the center of the room. I cast a final glance at her over my shoulder, and then turn to Marcus to receive the knife. My hands are steady and deft as I press the knife into one hand. I watch my blood pool in my palm. Inhale. Exhale. Thrusting my hand out to my left, I let my blood sizzle on Dauntless coals. I have chosen.

My legs are stiff as I march over to where the Dauntless are, and I stand behind the Dauntless-born initiates. I watch as Beatrice approaches the bowls. Her eyes stray in my direction, and I nod to her encouragingly. She has to choose Dauntless. If my choice somehow affects her and she doesn't, all my plans will fall apart. Her footsteps falter, and I see her set her jaw, determined as always. She takes the knife from Marcus and drags it down her left hand. She holds both hands close, and I see her shudder. _Come on Tris_, I think. She opens her eyes and her arm shoots out. At first her blood drips on the carpet between Abnegation and Dauntless, and my breath gets caught in my throat. _NO._ But then she moves her hand forward, and her blood joins mine on the coals of the brave.

After the last girl chooses Amity, it's time to go. The Dauntless have to go first, and I find myself passing by the Abnegation. I can't imagine how mad my parents will be, but I have to look back. I regret that I did. The expression of accusation on my father's face is heart wrenching, and my mother, her smile fading when her eyes leave Beatrice, gives me a puzzled look. Both their reactions make me uneasy. I try to shrug it off.

I start to look through the sea of Dauntless to find Beatrice, or, Tris. I'm not entirely sure when she chose to change her name. There was so much I didn't know about her. I intend to change that this time. This time, I will be the brother she always deserved.

The Dauntless lead us to the stairs, and suddenly everyone is running down them, laughing and shouting. The slap of shoes on concrete echoes all around me. I feel slightly confused as my Erudite mind tries to figure out the meaning of such actions. Silently scolding myself, I remind myself that this is _Dauntless_, so of course they would do something wild and crazy. I am annoyed that I am stuck, confined to my way of thinking, and so I try not to think-just run. The rhythmic pounding, my legs burning, I actually start to enjoy myself and this freedom, when we reach the first floor.

I rush out the door among the crowd and am met with crisp, cold dusk air. The yellow-orange orb that is the sun reflects off of the Hub, shining against the black glass. We run down the street and around the corner at a sprint. As piercing as a knife, the train horn cuts through the air.

The Dauntless spread into a line-more organization than I ever thought possible of them. The train comes quickly, each car door open for the Dauntless to fill. Groups of Dauntless board, until only the new initiates are left. I try to remember how to do this-its been awhile since I've had a reason to use the trains this way. I run alongside it, mostly the Dauntless-born initiates with me. I grab a handle and swing myself in, my muscles straining. I stumble into the car, mostly pleased with how I managed.

Looking out of the train, I see most of the transfers jogging alongside my car. They throw themselves inside, not strong enough to pull themselves in. I wonder if I would have been able to do that the first time around. I hope no one noticed.

My attention is drawn away from my thoughts as a small _thump_ reverberates through the car. I turn in time to see a Candor girl-Christina, I realize-pull my sister into the car. They talk, and I think I see Tris glance over her shoulder once, and they shake hands. Huh. I hadn't realized she had made friends with Christina before they even got to the Dauntless compound. They move to a corner of the car and continue talking.

I go further into the car too, not wanting to risk falling out, and slide down the wall till I'm sitting. Tris has been avoiding me. Trying to think back, I think it's because I put up such a good act of being selfless. In her mind, it was obvious she wouldn't be in Abnegation-but how could _I_ not be? And to take away her choice to be free...ugh. Why does everything have to be so complicated? Really, like Tobias said, I only did what was logically right for an Stiff to do. I just hope this doesn't put a rift between us.

_Thunk_. I look up.

"Hey," an Erudite boy has sat next to me.

"Hi," I reply. He looks at me and says, "I'm Will." Will. That is the name of Christina's long-dead boyfriend. The one my sister killed. I swallow. He continues talking, "I think we're going to Dauntless headquarters, but, uh...I'm kind of nervous." I glance at him sideways. From what I gathered, Will hadn't exactly been the nervous type. He adds, "Well, the Dauntless born initiates might know what they're in for, but we're doing this completely blind."

_That's true_, I think. Even after all I'd been through, I still have no idea what initiation was like for Tris. Tobias said something about stages, but we mainly focused on the physical aspect. With a start, realize that I will have to go through my fear landscape, and the thought makes my stomach churn. _They can't find out I'm from the future._

I clear my throat, "I'm Caleb. And yeah, I guess we are kind of flying it blind. But I don't think the Dauntless-born initiates know anymore than we do. Otherwise it wouldn't be fair." Will raises an eyebrow at me, "And since when are the _Dauntless_ concerned with being _fair_?" he asks. I shake my head.

"You have a point," I say, "I guess we'll just have to try harder than anyone else."

"They're jumping off!" A boy shouts. Will and I stand up. I stretch, cracking my joints. We've been sitting for at least half an hour, and my body is stiff from lack of movement. We move to where the other faction transfers stand in a line.

"We have to jump too, then," a Candor girl says.

"Great," a Candor boy-Peter, I realize with a start-replies, "because that makes perfect sense, Molly. Leap off a train and onto a roof."

"This is kind of what we signed up for, Peter," the girl retorts.

"Come on," I say to Will. We go over to the edge of the car, and I grab onto a handle so I don't lose my balance. I wait till the rooftop is close, then I turn to him so I can be heard over the wind.

"On three!" I shout. "One...two...THREE!" On three we both jump off. There is a brief second of weightlessness, almost like I'm flying, and then we both land on hard gravel. We keep running with the momentum, finally slowing to a stop. I laugh. It doesn't surprise me that it's more fun when your sister isn't dragging you off it while your both being chased. I'm actually kind of proud that I didn't do a face plant onto the roof. I suppose I've had more 'practice' than the other initiates.

Suddenly I hear a scream. Looking around, it's coming from a Dauntless girl who is standing at the edge of the roof looking over the side, screeching. A Dauntless boy holds her back from falling, saying, "Rita. Rita, calm down. Rita-" moving over to see what she's looking at, my stomach drops. A girl-no, it's just a body now-is spread eagled on the pavement below us, her arms twisted and bent in all the wrong places. I run my hand through my hair. _NO_. I've failed. I was supposed to come back to STOP deaths from happening-but how am I supposed to stop something I didn't know was going to happen?

Suddenly my mission seems a whole lot more complicated than I first thought-not that it was ever easy. But now, I will have to be constantly alert. Now, I have to notice _everything_ to stop all that I can. I can't just assume the deaths and tragedy I know about are the only ones that happened. Now I really AM flying it blind.

**A/N: Okay, so that's the first chapter of ****_A Second Chance_****. What do you think so far? What could I be doing better? Hm...these questions seems like ones that require answers that must be submitted via a REVIEW!**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello again! Sorry I haven't updated for a couple days-school does that. Anyways, here is the next chapter. I'll try to post the next one as soon as I can.**

_Caleb's POV_

Shakily, I walk away from the edge of the roof and the girl seven stories below. There's no way I can help her now.

"Listen up! My name is Max! I am one of the leaders of your new faction!" a man at the other end of the roof shouts. He is old for a Dauntless, with deep creases and graying hair. He stands on the ledge of the roof without a care in the world of falling to his death. I almost snort. Typical Dauntless.

"Several stories below us is the member's entrance to our compound. If you can't muster the will to jump off, you don't belong here. Our initiates have the privilege of going first." Oh, so that's what the Dauntless meant when they referred to Tris as being the 'first jumper'. Huh. Well, this will certainly be interesting.

"You want us to jump off a _ledge_?" an Erudite girl asks. She has mousy brown hair and big lips. Lips she should have kept shut if she knew what was good for her.

"Yes," Max answers, apparently amused at her shock.

"Is there water at the bottom or something?"

"Who knows?" He lifts his eyebrows.

The crowd of Dauntless parts for us, giving us a wide path to the ledge. I expect Tris to step forward, but she never does. I look over at her to see her examining everyone else. Everyone else, who, it appears, have found their cuts and scrapes extremely fascinating. I sigh exasperatedly and stride forward confidently. Out of the corner of my eye I see that Tris had started to move towards Max, but upon seeing me, stopped. I wince. I hope this won't affect too much. I run through how being the first jumper in original time affected her, and I try substituting that with if she had been the second to jump-it won't really change her. I hope. But I really do need this chance to prove myself. To convince everyone, and myself for that matter, that I really do belong here. Tris has aptitude for Dauntless. I, however, do not. But I know what it takes to make everyone believe I do.

Max steps out of my way, and I walk up to the ledge. Suddenly I'm not so sure of myself. The way down is a large hole in the concrete. An endless ocean of black. The wind whips through my clothes, and I feel unsteady on my feet. I close my eyes. _Don't think_, I tell myself. My eyes snap open, I bend my knees and jump.

I gasp, the wind practically being pulled from my lungs. It feels like it might never end; the air rushing past my face, the cold dropping feeling in the pit of my stomach. But suddenly I come to a jarring halt, landing on thick webbing. A net. I laugh, and it's only slightly hysterical. I honestly wasn't sure what the Dauntless would put at the bottom of a large hole. I was half expecting a slab of concrete, or snakes.

I roll over, and get down from the net. My legs are a bit weak and I stumble, but catch myself before I can sprawl on top of anyone. I find myself standing right in front of Tobias, his dark blue eyes calculating.

"I can't believe it," someone says from behind him. Looking past him, it's a dark haired girl with three piercings through her right eyebrow. Smirking, she says, "A Stiff, the first to jump? Unheard of."

"I think you'll find that I'm not exactly your 'typical' Stiff," I say, somewhat ambiguously.

"What's your name?" Tobias asks.

I have thought about this, actually. Since going back in time, I will not be the same. I will never again turn out like the Erudite Caleb. Not in this timeline. So why not choose a new name? After all, Dauntless seems to be the hot spot for starting over. Tobias choosing to be Four; Beatrice choosing to be Tris. Why should I not get a fresh start? It's not like I want to be known as 'Caleb the traitor' ever again. No, 'Caleb' died when I betrayed Tris to Jeanie Matthews.

"Cal. My name is Cal," I say, looking straight into Tobias' eyes. He nods, looks over his shoulder and shouts, "First jumper-Cal!"

Dauntless emerge from the shadows, cheering and pumping fists. Another person drops onto the net, and I smile to myself. Tris. The Dauntless cheer louder. She comes to stand next to me, and I embrace her.

"Welcome to Dauntless," Tobias says.

After everyone had jumped, Lauren-the girl who had made the comment about a Stiff jumping first-and Tobias lead us down a small stone tunnel. It slopes downward, and is lit at long intervals, so I get the distinct feeling that I am descending into the dungeons of a great castle. The crowd stops, and our three leaders stand, arms crossed, in front of us.

"This is where we divide," Lauren states. "Dauntless-born initiates with me. I assume _you_ guys don't need a tour of the place." The Dauntless-born initiates break away from our group, and follow Lauren's beckoning. There are only ten of us left-most of the initiates were Dauntless-born. Tris and I are the only Abnegation transfers, and the only Amity transfer refused to jump off the train. The rest are Erudite or Candor.

Tobias says, "Most of the time I work in the control room, but for the next few weeks, I am your instructor." That's right. He was paranoid about the people watching us, and wanted to know how to get out if he ever needed.

"My name is Four," he says. Oh, shoot. I forgot. I'll have to make sure I don't accidentally call him Tobias.

Christina asks "Four? Like the number?"

"Yes," Tobi-Four says. "Is there a problem?"

"No."

"Good. We're about to go into the Pit, which you will someday learn to love. It-"

Christina snickers. "The Pit? Clever name." Ugh. I never knew Christina was so annoying. I guess I only knew her after she had unknowingly killed Abnegation, and lost her boyfriend to her best friend. Things like that change people. Annoying as she may be now, I don't want her to have to go through that again.

Tobias-ah, Four-has walked up to Christina. He leans toward her and narrows his eyes.

"What's your name?" he asks softy. Menacingly.

"Christina," she squeaks.

"Well, Christina, if I wanted to put up with Candor smart-mouths, I would have joined their faction," he spits. Honestly, I have no idea why Tris fell for this guy. I suppose she was a good influence on him...but still. He's not exactly aproachable.

"The first lesson you will learn from me is to keep your mouth shut. Got that?"

Christina nods, and turns and starts talking to Tris. With that, Tobias-I mean Four-heads toward the end of the tunnel. The initiates follow him in silence. Four opens a set of double doors, and we walk into "the Pit." I suddenly get why it's called that. It is a large underground cavern filled with narrow paths leading to all kinds of places. Food, clothing, supplies, and leisure activity places built into the stone walls. The paths have nothing to stop us from falling over the ledge. I almost want to turn to Four and say, "Really? Even your _stairs_ have to be dangerous?" But after that ordeal with Christina, I doubt he's in the mood for snarky remarks.

The roof of the Pit is glass, and above that is a building letting in sunlight. It probably looked like just another city building we passed on the train. There are blue lanterns at random intervals along the paths, and they glow brighter the darker it gets.

"If you follow me," Four says, "I'll show you the chasm." He waves for us to come forward, and he leads us to the right side of the pit. It is darker here, almost ominously so. Straining my eyes, I see that the floor ends at an iron barrier. As we get closer to it, I hear loud, echoing crashes. The roar is coming from water rapids several stories below, smashing against rocks. A gush of water hits the wall beneath me and sprays upward. Upstream, to my left, the water is calm. To the right, downstream, however, the water is white, warring with the rocks.

"The chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy!" Four shouts to be heard over the deafening sound. "A daredevil jump off this ledge will end your life. It has happened before and it will happen again. You've been warned." _Good to know_, I think.

**A/N: So...like I said earlier, I will try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible. Thanks everyone for actually taking the time to look at my story-it really means a lot to me. And an extra thanks goes to everyone who has reviewed so far-you guys are awesome. Speaking of reviews...****_please review!_**** It can be only a sentence for all I care. You know you want to press that button down there...**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey guys! You are so awesome! Thanks for the reviews! (At least put a name instead of 'Guest', so I can properly thank you!) This chapter has a lot of my take on Caleb's feelings about betraying Tris. Here's a long chapter—for all you guys that reviewed, and followed, and just cause someone asked me to update on the weekend and I could only get to it today. Anyways…**

_Caleb's POV_

Four then takes us across the Pit to a large hole in the wall. The next place we go to is much better lit-it's a dining room, filled with loud chatter and the clank of silverware. When we come in, the Dauntless stand and applaud. Cheer. Shout. Stamp their feet. The Dauntless may be crazy, risk taking, and chaotic, but their welcome makes me feel as if I might one day belong here. I smile. I look back at Tris, and she's smiling too. I start to look for a free seat, and follow Tris, Christina and Four to the side of the room.

"Mind if I stick with you?" I ask Tris, somewhat apprehensively. She looks at me strangely. "Of course," she states as if it were obvious. "You're my brother." I smile gratefully. She has no idea how happy I am to hear her say that. Back before she made her big sacrifice, I'm fairly certain she would've shot me in the leg for asking that. Or at least punched me in the face. I sit down between Tris and Four. In the center of the table is a platter of food. There are circular pieces of meat squashed in between two oddly inflated bread slices. We never had food like this in Erudite. We only ate things that improved cognitive functions. I poke it uncertainly, and Tris pinches one with a confused look on her face. Four nudges me, and speaks so Tris and I can both hear him.

"It's beef," he says. "Put this on it." He puts a bowl of bright red sauce in between Tris and I. Christina's eyes are wide as she asks us, "You guys have never had hamburgers before?"

"No," Tris says, "Is that what it's called?"

"Stiffs eat plain food," Four nods at Christina. _Well_, I think. _I'm not exactly a Stiff anymore...haven't been for a long time…but Erudite didn't have any of this kind of food either._

"Why?" she asks. Tris shrugs, saying, "Extravagance is considered self-indulgent and unnecessary." Christina smirks, "No wonder you guys left."

"Yeah," Tris says sarcastically. "It was just become of the food." I grin, and I see the corners of Four's mouth twitch.

The cafeteria doors open, and silence descends over the room. A young man with way too many piercings and dark, greasy hair walks in. His eyes are cold as they move around the room. Christina hisses, "Who's that?" I have a pretty good feeling I know who it is, and Four confirms it. "His name is Eric-he's a Dauntless leader."

"Seriously? But he's so young," Christina whispers. Four looks at her. "Age doesn't matter here." Christina seems ready to interrogate Four further when Eric stops scanning the room and starts towards a table—_our_ table. He sits down on the other side of Four and asks, "Well, aren't you going to introduce me?" He nods at the three of us transfers.

"This is Tris, Cal, and Christina," Four says. Eric smirks at Tris and I saying, "Ooh, Stiffs. We'll see how long you two last." Eric seems like the kind of person I should definitely avoid. Tris appears to think the same thing, as she is trying her hardest to go unnoticed-like she never wants him to look at her again. Anger boils within me. How dare he? Tris will be a major player in a revolution, and I have survived a world war. I _think_ that makes us perfectly capable of getting through Dauntless initiation. Before I can stop myself, I say, "I think you'll find that we'll make it father than you expect." He looks at me calculatingly, and I stare defiantly back. Giving a small shrug, he taps his fingers against the table. They are stabbed at the knuckles, right where they would've split if he had punched something too hard. _Nice going, Cal_, I think. _Pick the meanest, toughest Dauntless leader to talk back to._

"What have you been doing lately, Four?" he asks.

Four lifts a shoulder. "Nothing, really," he says. Four looks as tense as a taunt wire. I guess him and Eric aren't as friendly as the conversation would suggest.

"Max tells me he keeps trying to meet with you, and you don't show up," Eric says. "He requested that I find out what's going on with you." After a moment of silence, Four says, "Tell him that I am satisfied with the position I currently hold."

"So he wants to give you a job."

"So it would seem," Four says.

"And you aren't interested."

"I haven't been interested for two years."

"Well," Eric says, "Let's hope he gets the point, then." He claps Four on the shoulder-hard-and gets up. After he leaves, a lot of tension I didn't know was there seems to break apart. Tris slouches and I exhale slowly. I hope we don't see Eric often.

"Are you two...friends?" Tris asks Four curiously.

"We were in the same initiate class," Four says. "He transferred from Erudite."

"Were you a transfer too?" Tris asks. I briefly wonder when she finds out he was from Abnegation.

"I thought I would only have trouble with the Candor asking too many questions," he says coldly. "Now I've got Stiffs, too?"

"It must be because you're so approachable," Tris says flatly. "You know. Like a bed of nails." I try to conceal my snort, to no avail. So…I'm guessing the thing with Four and Tris wasn't your classical love-at-first-sight relationship. We _are_ in Dauntless—so maybe it was more of a love-at-first-knife-throwing-contest kind of thing. Who knows?

Four either didn't hear my poorly muffled snort or just ignored it. Either way, he and Tris seemed to be locked in a stare-down. I wonder if Four will retaliate, but all he says is, "Careful, Tris."

A Dauntless member at another table calls out to Four, and I turn to Christina and Tris. Christina raises her eyebrows.

"What?" Tris asks.

"I'm developing a theory."

"And it is?"

She lifts her hamburger, grinning. "That you have a death wish." Tris rolls her eyes, but I can see a small smile on her face.

I should be laughing—and I would have, under different circumstances. Instead, my stomach drops, and a thousand images flash in my mind. Tris, jumping on and off trains. Tris, holding a gun, shooting guards at the Bureau. Her turning that gun on me, demanding I give her the backpack with the bomb in it. My fear. Her determination. My desperation to just end the guilt. Her selfless sacrifice._ I should have died_, I think._ I shouldn't have gotten another chance at life while she bled out—alone—on cold tile in front of a mass murderer. If anyone deserved a happy ending, or at least a shot at it, it was Tris. _Suddenly I can't stand being next to the sister I betrayed. The sister who died so I could live. The sister who loved me when I had stabbed her in the back. I have to get away from her. I have to get out of here. _NOW._

"I'm sorry," I say, standing abruptly. Tris and Christina look at me. I can't look at her face. I can't.

"I have to go," I say. I run out of the cafeteria, along the edge of the Pit, and go to the chasm. I stay as far back from the edge as I can, and sit down hard. My hands are shaking as I bury my face in them. Why did I do this? How did I ever even _think_ I could do this? Go back in time and fix, what? _EVERYTHING?!_ I'm just one person.

************FLASHBACK************

"Follow your instincts!" Tobias shouts. He knees me in the stomach then elbows me in my face. I try to throw a punch, but he catches it in his fist and twists my arm behind my back. I spit out a glob of red-stained spit I've been holding in.

"My _instinct_ is to not even get into a fight in the first place," I say dryly. Tobias makes a discontented noise in the back of his throat, and before I know what's happening, I'm lying down, my face being pushed into the ground.

"No. But when the fight comes to you, you're going to want to know how to follow your instincts to defend yourself," he says. I struggle fruitlessly to try to get his grip to loosen. After a while, I sigh, giving up.

"Okay, Tobias. We both know that by now the other guy would've killed me. I failed. Again."

The weight on my back lifts, and I groan, slowly getting to my feet. I rub my neck, and find myself under the disapproving gaze of Tobias Johnson.

"What?" I ask defensively. "I was never in Dauntless like you. How do you expect me fight like one?"

Tobias glares at me. "The factions don't exist anymore, Caleb. When are you going to get used to that? Now, you either know how to fight, or you don't. Nobody cares if you have a talent for filling test tubes or picking apples anymore."

Ignoring the jab at Erudite, I stand up straighter. "I'm going to be back there soon enough anyways-why should I get used to the idea of no factions if I'll be in one in two months?" I ask. "Actually," I continue, "why am I even the one going back in the first place? You're clearly more skilled than I am at fighting."

Tobias glares at me again, and I'm really starting to get sick of that look. We made our peace, yes, but that doesn't mean we're friends. Even if he hates my guts, which he probably does, I can't blame him. Why should I be the one alive? I betrayed my family. Tris saved everyone in Chicago from getting 'reset'. I sent my sister to her own execution-I helped make it happen (even though it failed). She gave her life for a brother who didn't deserve it. Every day, I ask myself, "Why? Why would someone as good as her sacrifice herself for someone as undeserving as me?" _Every day_, I wonder. The only answer I can come up with is the one I hate the most. She would do that because she _was_ that good, that selfless.

"You know why I can't go, Caleb," Tobias says. "You're the only who can recreate the time machine if something goes wrong when you travel back. There's no way I could. Plus, to make the inoculation serum for the attack simulation, it's going to require an Erudite mind, as much I hate to admit it. Also..." he seems to debate something, before giving up. "When it comes to Tris, I can't think straight. I'm afraid...I'm afraid I'll just take her and run. That I'll abandon the mission. We _can't_ let that happen."

I still don't fancy the idea of going back there. "What about Cara? She was in Erudite," I say. During his explanation, he had been looking at the corner, staring at something only he could see. Now, his piercing gaze snapped back to me.

"Look," he says quietly. "If you do tell her you're from the future, Tris will..." he pauses, and it seems to take him a great deal of effort to get the next words out. "...She'd be more likely to..._trust_ her _brother_, as opposed to a random transfer."

When he says "trust", I flinch. Trust. The word causes me physical pain. There is nothing that I regret more than my decision to align myself with Jeanie Matthew's. I used to tell myself that it wasn't my fault. She _was_ incredibly persuasive—I mean, if she had told me the world was flat, and that clouds were made of mushrooms, I probably would've believed her, she was that convincing. I thought that I had been doing the right thing. But every time I tried to tell anyone-tried to explain to them how good she was at being deceptive-they shut me out. Scoffed at me. Called me a traitor. Weak. Cowardly. And deep down, I knew it. I _knew_ I was a traitor; that I had betrayed my family. I just didn't want to admit it. It _had_ to be Jeanie's fault. _It had to_. I couldn't _bear_ the thought that I would've betrayed Tris on my own. That I really am just a coward.

"Okay," I say quietly. "I'll do it."

He nods, but his mind seems elsewhere. "Good," he says, and then he lifts his fists up defensively. "Go again?"

**********************END FLASHBACK***********************

After a while, I walk back to the cafeteria. I have to clench my fists to keep my hands from shaking. I rejoin the other transfers, and Tris looks at me questioningly. I clear my throat and whisper, "Uh, I think that meat I ate was raw or something. It-" She holds up a hand, stopping me. "I don't want to know," she says. I smile weakly.

**A/N: So. I hoped you liked the flashback. I think I'm going to insert more of those in throughout the story—you know, show you a little of what it was like before he left. Anyways…I really do appreciate all the reviews. However…I could always use more. ;) Go review. Come on. Go. Review. As per usual, I honestly don't care if it's only one sentence—but it means the world to me when you guys spend the time to do even that. I will probably get around to putting the next chapter up either this weekend, or next week if school decides to be annoying. Later!**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey guys! Enjoying the winter break? (At least for those of us in the States…) Thanks again for all the reviews! Here is that chapter you have been waiting for! I felt so bad not being able to post until now, but here it is! In this chapter, we get back from Cal's freak-out (sorry, don't know what else to call it), and then at the end there's a small conversation between Cal and Tris. Oh, and sorry if Tris seems out of character—again, this is my first fanfic. **

Eric leads us down a series of hallways, not telling us where he's taking us. I almost groaned aloud when I saw that he was the Dauntless leader our group of transfers was following. The ground is uneven, and the blue lamps at the end of each hallway leave enough darkness in between them that it's almost impossible _not_ to trip. The journey is a quiet one, with nobody even making a move to start a conversation-or even speak at all.

Eric stops before a wooden door, and turns to face us, his arms crossed.

"For those of you who don't know, my name is Eric," he says. "I am one of the five leaders of Dauntless. We take the initiation process very seriously here, so I volunteered to oversee most of your training." _What? Are you kidding me?! The one Dauntless I never wanted to see again is going to oversee the initiation process?! Great. Just great._

"Some ground rules," he says. "You have to be in the training room by eight o'clock every day. Training takes place every day from eight to six, with a break for lunch. You are free to do whatever you like after six. You will also get some time off between each stage of initiation."

Stage...Tobias had told me something about that. Physical and mental, right? I'm pretty confident I'll do okay on the physical part-but the mental? The _fear landscape_? I couldn't prepare for that. In the war, I never had a reason to trek through my fears, and by the time I had built the time machine and we were preparing me for the trip back, all of the simulation serum had been destroyed. Taken, actually. The world outside had taken all of Chicago's serums as a part of our barter to stay untouched in the war. Not that that had worked. But that's beside the point-at the time, we had been glad to get rid of it. Now I feel the backlash of that trade quite strongly. I guess I will have to find out my fears the same way everyone else in initiation will.

"You are only permitted to leave the compound when accompanied by a Dauntless," Eric adds. "Behind this door is the room where you will be sleeping for the next few weeks." He picks at his cuticles, as if he's gotten bored with his own speech. "In the first stage of initiation, we keep transfers and Dauntless-born initiates separate, but that doesn't mean you are evaluated separately. At the end of initiation, your rankings will be determined in comparison with Dauntless born initiates. And they are better than you already. So I expect-"

"_Rankings?_" asks the mousy-haired Erudite girl to my right. "Why are we ranked?"

Eric smiles, and the sight of it makes me uneasy. It's the kind of smile you might expect a sadist to have when torturing small animals.

"Your ranking serves two purposes," he says. "The first is that it determines the order in which you will select a job after initiation. There are only a few _desirable_ positions available." I can feel the others shift uneasily, and I suppose I'm the only one who knows we won't make it to picking jobs. Or, at least, not in the first timeline.

"The second purpose," he says, "is that only the top ten initiates are made members."

Oh. This could be a problem. It's not that I doubt I'll make it it-in fact, that IS the problem. I'll be robbing someone else of their future. Taking away any possible chance they would've had if I hadn't gone back in time. _Cal_, I scold myself, _There won't even_ be _a future if you don't make it into Dauntless_. And it's true. Without someone on the inside to counteract the attack simulation serum, our whole plan will fall apart. Everything hinges on me making Dauntless.

I'm broken out of my thoughts as Christina says, "_What_?" _Right_, I think, _this is bad news for_ everyone. Not just us time travelers trying to single-handedly save the world.

"There are eleven Dauntless-borns, and ten of you," Eric continues. "Five initiates will be cut at the end of stage one. The remainder will be cut after the final test." I glance at Tris. She must've come to the same conclusion-even if we make it through each stage of initiation, seven of us won't be members. Tris' face is bone white, and her eyes never waver from Eric.

"What do we do if we're cut?" Peter asks.

"You leave the Dauntless compound," Eric says indifferently, "and live factionless." The mousy-haired Erudite girl claps a hand over her mouth, trying to stifle a sob. The broad shouldered Candor girl-Molly-shouts, "But that's...not fair!" She looks terrified, but she sounds enraged. "If we had _known_-"

"Are you saying that if you had known this before the Choosing Ceremony, you wouldn't have chosen Dauntless?" Eric growls. "Because if that's the case, you should get out now. If you are really one of us, it won't matter to you that you might fail. And if it does, you are a coward." I try to stop the words _"get out now," _and, _"you are a coward"_ out of my head. They ring in my ears like the aftershocks of an earthquake. Somehow I get the noise to stop, and Eric opens the door to the dormitory.

"You chose us," he says. "Now we have to choose you."

I lie in bed listening to the soft sounds of everyone sleeping. We've all changed into the clothes the Dauntless have given us-all of us, that is, except for Tris. She still wears her old Abnegation clothing. I hope she's not regretting her choice. I see she clap a hand over her mouth, a muffled sob barely audible. She cries silently, and its killing me from the inside out not to be able to comfort her. I contemplate getting up and going over to her, but I dismiss the idea. _No. She's just homesick. How can you know if helping her will change the outcome of who she becomes? _It sounds great...in theory. But right now I don't feel like a time traveler preserving history to the best of my ability. I feel like a jerk of a brother who's just letting his sister cry while he listens mutely.

That's it. I can't stand another minute of this. I'm going over there right no-another sob echoes through the room. At first I think it was from Tris' bunk, but no. It's coming from the one next to hers. I think it belongs to a large Candor boy-Al. Huh. That's weird. I'd never heard of an Al in the original timeline. Something must've happened-something bad. I'm going to have to keep a close eye on him. Shaking the mysterious Candor boy out of my thoughts, I rise silently, and tip-toe over to Tris's bunk. I reach out for her shoulder, and pause, unsure. I hover there, awkwardly, for a moment, but then the moment passes and I shake her lightly.

"Tris," I whisper softly. She turns over to face me, a hand automatically wiping the tears from her face. "I'm awake," she says. "What is it?"

"I-um," I start. "I wanted to see if you were okay." _Idiot_. I mentally face palm. _Smooth, Cal. Real smooth_.

"I'm fine," she says quickly. Too quickly. "Why wouldn't I be?"

I sigh. "Listen," I say, "I miss home too. It's okay to be a little scared sometimes."

She snorts a little too loudly, then glances around to see if it woke anyone up. As far as I know, the only other person up is Al, and...well, maybe he needs this, too.

"Look around you," Tris says, "We're in _Dauntless_. You know, 'the _brave_.' I don't think missing home is very courageous."

"Tris," I say, thinking back to something Tobias once told me, "Bravery isn't about being tough as nails, or fearless, or completely covered in tattoos." Tris smiles at that last part, and I gain a little confidence, continuing. "Bravery is about having the courage to do the right thing, even if it's not popular, and the will to persevere through things appear to have no escape. _That's_ bravery."

There's a moment of silence, then Tris says, "Thanks, Caleb-I mean, Cal," My heart warms at the sentiment. "Now go back to sleep before someone wakes up," she hisses. I roll my eyes. That's closer to the Tris I knew.

**A/N: Okay. First of all, sorry if Tris seems too, I don't know, girly, or something, in this chapter. Just to be fair, though, she really did cry in the first book. Just reminding all of you guys that only remember the Allegiant Tris. She was a different person back in Divergent. Remember, she hasn't even gone through initiation yet, let alone seeing her entire former faction killed. Or killing her best friend's boyfriend. So, yeah. Second of all, relatives are in town, and I'm not sure when I'll be able to update. Plus there's Christmas. Thirdly, I'm sorry for not updating sooner, but there's nothing we can do about that now. Until later!**


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